Thursday, November 06, 2008

Decisions, decisions and more decisions…

All manner of political talking heads are getting their speculation on over who will be appointed to what and why in the new Obama Administration.

A bitch would like to explore the challenge of deciding shit through one key selection about to be made…the choosing of the First Dawg.

A bitch is always amazed by how many people select their canine companions based on looks. I know people who purchased designer dawgs because the breed was in fashion…or they liked how the dawg's coat matched their décor…or they just wanted something they could fit in their handbag.

But dawgs have personalities…just like people. And, just as we should not select a cabinet member simply because they have an impressive resume, we should not select a canine companion just because they are the breed of the moment or have been bio-engineered not to bark at the mail-person.

I’m serious!

What if the soon-to-be First Family wound up with a dawg that they selected because it didn’t shed only to find out that it had a history of doubting the metal abilities of women and may or may not have created an atmosphere of extreme tension during it’s tenure at a certain Ivy League university?

Blink.

They might not have to deal with the allergies inspired by pet dander, but just think about the other drama they'd get in exchange!

Sigh.

Anyhoo, a bitch recommends that everyone consider canine adoption carefully and weigh the realities of their lifestyle with the potential dawg's personality and temperament.

Start at local shelters…ask if fostering is available…and be prepared for pee in the residence since a bitch is certain the scent of Barney’s legacy will linger for years to come.

Every single pet I have had in my life (I refuse to count all the goldfish, but this does include both the former iguana and the current hermit crab) has been some sort of rescued beastie. From pound, from rescue, from side of the road, from former classroom pet, I've had them all.

For furry critters, I currently have one pound puppy and one rescue Akita, plus a cat found frozen on a neighbor's back porch.

I state this to establish my "rescue, recycle" bonafides. 'Kay?

I volunteer at a pound, and regularly work with others as part of helping my Rescue group. I find good dogs, loving dogs, and dogs that are not fit for human company and should not be trusted around children. Frankly, most of the dogs I see fall into the latter category. There are also terrific dogs who through no fault of their own end up in extreme circumstances. They are surprisingly hard to find when one factors in little kids.

I have had terrific dogs that I would trust implicitly if left alone with a newborn baby, and I have had dogs I wouldn't trust if left alone with my 6'2" neighbor who had no idea how to be around a dog.

People need to get a grip. If the girls want a goldendoodle, or a puggle, or a Great Dane, they should get one. This isn't a political statement - it's a promise from a doting father to two little girls.

In theory, a pound puppy (dare I suggest of blended breed like the rest of the family?) would be perfect. But sometimes a puppy is just a puppy, for heavens' sake.

And anyone who calls me on this, you are all working with your local shelters and rescue groups, right?

Rileysdtr... You know I feel you on that. Alls I'm saying is that they should consider scoring said labradoodle from a shelter...and also consider the personality of the dawg along with all that non-shedding bitness.

Anywhere but one of those "puppyland" stores with 6-week-old pups in wire cages that came straight from Amish Mills, and I'll be happy. I can't walk into those places. I have enough trouble walking into a shelter to do an eval for Rescue. I have yet to leave without crying...

But a beagle would be a good choice. They do not get big, which is good for the kids. They have a good temperament, which is good for the kids. They like to run and play - which is good for the kids. They are cute, which is good for the pictures.

If the beagle takes a crap in the Lincoln Bedroom - it will be a small dookie. Not a big stinking pile.

A lab would also be a good choice. I had one of those, and it made a pretty good pet. For a big stinky dog. But it left enormous piles in the lawn.

Examples of BAD choices are chihuahuas. And dogs that look like those rats, or are of the same size.

But the important thing is that the kids get a puppy that they like. Who gives a shit what anyone else thinks :)

Amish puppy mills? I'm sure the Amish do a much better job than the hick idiots here in Quebec, home of North America's Puppy Mill Empire. Truly, it seems like every month you see yet another story of large scale animal abuse up here. It's not to be believed & the laws here for animal welfare are near nonexistant.

If the dawg isn't directly from a pound, then at least it should be from a rescue group that has screened & fostered them. it sets an example.

And I do have shelter and vet tech experience- a dawg doesn't have to be from the pound to be a horror- just the lazy, ignorant owners who refuse to train it or provide any sort of structure, obedience, rewards, etc. ggrrrgrumblegrrggggrrr.

Is Summers any good at economics? He stinks as a manager, and is a sexist, classist, and probably racist SOB, but if he has some useful technical advice on dealing with the economic crisis, he might be useful for a time.

Having done rescue, shelter evals, and done training protocols for shelter dogs, I would not assume that the dogs at a shelter are stable dogs who have simply hit some bad times. There are good dogs, and not so good dogs at most shelters but it takes an experienced eye and a tough heart to sort through the debris left by careless breeding, bad experiences and poor handling.

Whatever the First Dawg is destined to be, these are my hopes.

1. a stable temperament that will allow it to be a beloved companion to the entire family. I hope for them, a heart dog.

2. a smart dog and a smart trainer who will invest the time and the training in both the dog and the kids, to maximize the potential of the First Dawg so s/he can also be a Good Citizen.

'What if the soon-to-be First Family wound up with a dawg that they selected because it didn’t shed only to find out that it had a history of doubting the metal abilities of women and may or may not have created an atmosphere of extreme tension during it’s tenure at a certain Ivy League university?

Blink.'

I almost fell outta my chair when I read that, hehehe.

First-timer here, I come via Xark.com, by way of Afrogeek Mom and Dad. And glad I did. Funny people are not as common as one would hope...

Anyhow, I wouldn't worry too much about the canine issue much- after the special she did this summer w/ Lisa Ling on puppy mills, you know Oprah's already barking in his ear...

I'm bettin' on a rescue. And besides, I always find it amazing that people think Barack's gonna make a dumb decision about anything. It's just not in his MO.

Everyone here is a beat or two ahead of me. I can't even entertain the concept of what sort of dawg they get, because I'm still choking up when I think of what the president-elect said to his daughters just before the remark about the puppy.....